RS-232, or Electronic Industries Association (EIA) Recommended Standard 232, is a full duplex hardware protocol that uses one dedicated line for transmitting data (Tx) and one for receiving (Rx). This protocol provides point to point communication between two devices at relatively long distances: up to 50 feet at 9.6 Kbps. Differential signaling, typically +/-12V, provides some robustness to noise and communication speeds up to 32 Kbps. This common protocol is versatile enough to be used in a variety of applications.